Educate Girls, an Indian non-profit founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain, has become the first Indian organisation to receive the prestigious 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award. The NGO focuses on empowering out-of-school girls in remote villages by mobilizing communities and collaborating with government systems to enrol girls, ensure their retention in school, and challenge cultural stereotypes surrounding girls’ education.
With over 1.1 million girls enrolled and more than 15.5 million people impacted, Educate Girls operates in over 30,000 villages and boasts a retention rate exceeding 90 percent. The award recognises the organisation’s transformative role in advancing gender equality and social empowerment in rural India.
Starting in Rajasthan with 50 pilot village schools, Educate Girls rapidly expanded by engaging local volunteers called ‘Team Balika,’ who identify out-of-school girls and encourage families to support their education. The NGO pioneered a results-based social investment model through its impact bond initiative, linking financial aid to measurable educational outcomes.
Educate Girls’ ‘Pragati’ programme supports over 31,500 young learners through open schooling, enabling women aged 15 to 29 to complete their education and pursue livelihoods. Founder Safeena Husain, who left a corporate career to fight female illiteracy, believes that educating one girl can ignite change across families and communities.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award, often referred to as Asia’s Nobel Prize, honoured Educate Girls for challenging deep-rooted cultural stereotypes and empowering girls with skills, courage, and agency. The award highlights the organisation’s leadership in creating inclusive education models and forging partnerships with governments, donors, and grassroots communities to dismantle barriers to girls’ schooling.
The award ceremony is scheduled for November 7, 2025, in Manila, where Educate Girls will be recognised alongside other Asian changemakers. This marks a historic moment as Educate Girls becomes the first Indian NGO to win this prestigious award.
Since its establishment in 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award has honoured outstanding Asian leaders committed to social change. While several Indian individuals, including Vinoba Bhave, Mother Teresa, and Arvind Kejriwal, have received the award, Safeena Husain and Educate Girls represent the first Indian non-profit organisation to be recognised, highlighting a significant milestone in the country’s social justice efforts.
This award brings global attention to India’s ongoing dedication to social justice through education, celebrating decades of Indian leaders who have driven positive change across various sectors.
From The Logical Indian’s perspective, Educate Girls exemplifies how education serves as a powerful tool for social justice and gender equity, impacting communities far beyond the classroom. The award serves as a call to action for policymakers, philanthropists, and citizens to support and replicate such innovative education initiatives.
